Fossil Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL) announced the latest addition to the hybrid smartwatch category: Hybrid HR.
Engineered by Fossil Group's 200-person research and development team, Hybrid HR is Fossil Group's most advanced hybrid smartwatch technology ever, featuring the most important information at a glance – text messages, alerts, caller ID, heart rate and activity tracking – all with a two-week battery life. Hybrid HR technology will be available first from the Fossil brand this 2019 holiday retail season.
"Fossil Group's commitment to fostering continuous, cutting-edge innovation has made this enhancement of hybrid technology possible," said Fossil Group Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Greg McKelvey. "With each evolution of our products, we aim to integrate the features our customers need with the style they love – and Hybrid HR does exactly that."
Combining the best of digital and analog smartwatches, Hybrid HR smartwatches are encased in the classic styling of a traditional watch and feature key elements found in touchscreen smartwatches, including:
"With Hybrid HR, we continue to broaden Fossil Group's diverse portfolio, offering the most – and most innovative – hybrid and touchscreen smartwatch options of any company in the world," said McKelvey.
This is the latest technology by Fossil Group to hit the market this year. For example, in August, Fossil Group announced and brought to retail new, proprietary nextgen touchscreen smartwatch technology. Features on the touchscreen smartwatches include the proprietary Phone app, which is the first and only app that makes tethered calls for iPhone users possible on the Wear OS by Google platform, and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 3100 processor platform. Additional elements include a microphone and swimproof speaker, increased storage, extended battery life for multi-day usage and new app-based experiences.
The launch of these new smartwatch technologies furthers Fossil Group's recent success. Fossil Group, with over $400 million in wearable device sales in 2018, will launch more than 100 new smartwatch styles across 10 brands this 2019 fall/holiday retail season.